Well, composer David Lang had to do just that when a hospital in Garches, France, asked him to write music for their morgue, or 'Salle Des Departs.' What do you do? What should death sound like? Producer Jocelyn Gonzales brings us this piece about David Lang and his commission for the “Salle Des Departs.”

Tags:

More in:

Lulu makes radio, pie, and stories in the hills of Charlottesville, VA. She first heard Radiolab when she was working as a woodworker's assistant in Brooklyn. And that changed everything. She thinks it is Miracle Gro for the mind and hopes to be making the stuff till she is blue in the hair. You can read and listen to her stories at LuTimesTwo.com.

Comments [8]

Lorelei C. Whitman

The idea of having this angelic like music play in a quiet room with the deceased gives peace to those who have such a grand burden of a death in their heart. I really enjoyed listening to how the composer said that this was his way of helping rather than making a song that makes people cry. This idea is one that should be implemented more than in just one hospital in France. Having a loved one who recently passed away those few moments in this serene environment would of really calmed my family. I think that this piece of music was a wonderful creation that will help many people at this hospital. Hopefully more come with ideas like these and can be implemented because it is therapy to the soul.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the title is a pun on the phrase "salle de départ" which means "departure lounge", i.e., the waiting room at a train station, airport, etc. But because it's plural, it suggests perhaps that it's the waiting room for those who have departed [us]. Very touching.

The hospital is "Hôpital Raymond-Poincaré" in Garches, France (Jad, don't pronounce the "e" and "s" at the end, they are silents letters, it's "Garch", you where right on your first try).Raymond Poincaré was President of France during 1st WW (Wikipedia articles available)."Point carré" (pronounce it "Poin carrey") means "square point" btw :P.